KISS
KISS is an American superhero-styled rock band formed in New York City in Janaury 1973. Easily identified by its members' trademark face paint and stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid and late-1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars, pyrotechnics, and a large rendition of the band's logo. Kiss has been awarded 30 gold albums to date."Artist Tallies". Billboard. Retrieved October 28, 2007. The band has sold over 21 million records in the United States and their worldwide sales exceed 103 million albums.Falina, Melanie."Kiss My Asshole: Tongue-Wagging Gene Simmons Summons the Kiss Army". Chicago Innerview. Retrieved July 30, 2006. The original lineup of Paul Stanley (vocals and rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals and bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar and vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, percussion and vocals) is the most successful and identifiable. With their makeup and costumes, they took on the personae of comic book-style characters: The Demon (Simmons), Starchild (Stanley), Spaceman (Frehley), and Catman (Criss). The band explains that the fans were the ones who ultimately chose their makeup designs. The "Demon" makeup reflected Simmons' cynicism and interest in the macabre, as well as his love for comic books, classic horror films & one of his heroes, actor Lon Chaney. Paul Stanley became the "Starchild" due to his tendency to be referred to as the "starry-eyed lover" and "hopeless romantic." Ace Frehley's "Spaceman" makeup was a reflection of him wanting to go for a ride in a space ship and supposedly being from another planet. Peter Criss' "Catman" makeup was in accordance with the belief that Criss had nine lives due to his rough childhood in Brooklyn. Due to creative differences, both Criss and Frehley were out of the group by 1982. The band's commercial fortunes had also waned considerably by that point. In 1983, Kiss abandoned its makeup and enjoyed a commercial resurgence throughout the rest of the decade. Buoyed by a wave of Kiss nostalgia in the 1990s and a popular MTV Unplugged performance with most of the surviving band members, the band announced a reunion of the original lineup (with makeup) in 1996. The resulting Kiss Alive/Worldwide/Lost Cities/Reunion Tour was the top-grossing act of 1996 and 1997. Criss and Frehley have since left Kiss again and have been replaced by Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively. The band continues to perform with makeup, while Stanley and Simmons have remained the only two constant members. History The Early years (1973-1975) Kiss traces its roots to Wicked Lester, a New York City-based rock and roll band led by co-founders Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel on August 25, 1949) and Paul Stanley (born Stanley Harvey Eisen in Queens, New York City on January 20, 1952). Wicked Lester, with their eclectic mixture of musical styles, never achieved any success. They recorded one album, which was shelved by Epic Records, and played a handful of live shows. Simmons and Stanley, feeling that a new musical direction was needed, abandoned Wicked Lester in 1972 and began forming a new group.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, pp. 14.Gill, Focus, pp. 68-71.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 20–21. In late 1972, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley came across an ad in Rolling Stone placed by Peter Criss, a veteran drummer from the New York club scene, who was previously in bands called "Lips" and "Chelsea". Criss (born George Peter John Criscuola on December 20, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York City) auditioned for and joined the new version of Wicked Lester. The trio focused on a much harder style of rock than Wicked Lester played. Inspired by the theatrics of Alice Cooper, Slade and the New York Dolls, they also began experimenting with their image by wearing makeup and various outfits.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 33, 57–58. In November 1972/Janauary 1973, the trio played a showcase for Epic Records A&R director Don Ellis, in an effort to secure a record deal. Although the performance went well, Ellis hated the group's image and music. On top of that, as he was leaving, he was vomited on by Criss's brother.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 15. In December 1972/January 1973, the group added lead guitarist Ace Frehley (born as Paul Frehley on April 27, 1951 in the Bronx, New York City). According to the book Kiss & Tell by Ace Frehley's former best-friends, Gordon G.G. Gebert and Bob McAdams (who accompanied Ace Frehley to the audition) the eccentric Frehley impressed the group with his first audition, although he showed up wearing two different sneakers (one red and one orange) and began warming up on his guitar while another guitarist was being auditioned by the band. A few weeks after Frehley joined, the Wicked Lester name was dropped and the band became Kiss. Stanley came up with the name; as he, Simmons, and Criss were driving around New York City. Criss mentioned that he was in a band called Lips, so Stanley said "what about Kiss?" (Reminisced by Simmons on the Kiss video Exposed). Frehley created the now-iconic logo (making the two Ss look like lightning bolts) when he went to write the new band name over Wicked Lester on a poster outside the club where they were going to play.Gebert and McAdams, Kiss & Tell, p. 41, 42. The runic letters happened to look similar to the insignia of the Nazi SS, a symbol that is now illegal to display in Germany. Therefore to avoid controversy, after 1979 most of the band's album covers and merchandise in Germany have used a modified version of the logo, in which the "SS" looks like a backwards "ZZ". Simmons and Stanley are both Jewish. The band's name has been rumored to have many hidden meanings, among them an acronym for "Knights In Satan's Service" (an acronym given to the band by morality & religious groups who believed the band was a bad influence on their teenaged audience) or "Keep It Simple Stupid."Simmons, Gene (2001). Kiss and Make-up. Crown. ISBN 0-609-60855-X. None of these rumors have any basis in fact, and the band has consistently denied them. The first Kiss performance was on January 30, 1973, for an audience of three at the Popcorn Club (renamed Coventry shortly afterward) in Queens. In March of that year, the band recorded a five-song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer. Former TV director Bill Aucoin, who had seen the group at a handful of showcase concerts in the summer of 1973, June, 1973 KISS records a five-song demo tape with producer Eddie Kramer, which winds up in the hands of former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart. offered to become the band’s manager in mid-October. Kiss agreed, with the condition that Aucoin get them signed to a recording contract within two weeks. On November 1, 1973, Kiss became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart's new label, Emerald City Records (which was shortly afterward renamed Casablanca Records).Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 145–146. The band entered Bell Sound Studios in New York City on October 10, 1973 to begin recording their first album. On December 22 KISS Sing in Coventry, Queens. On December 31 the band had their official industry premier at the Academy of Music in New York City, opening for Blue Öyster Cult. It was at this concert that Simmons accidentally set his hair (which was coated in hairspray) ablaze for the first of many times while performing his inaugural firebreathing stunt.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 27. Kiss first tour started on February 5, 1974 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Kiss Sing in Long Beach, CA in February 17, 1974. The band’s self-titled debut album, KISS, was released on February 18. Casablanca and Kiss promoted the album heavily throughout the spring and summer of 1974. On February 19, the band performed "Nothin' to Lose," "Firehouse," and "Black Diamond" for what would become their first national television appearance, on ABC's Dick Clark's In Concert (aired March 29). On April 29, the band performed "Firehouse" on The Mike Douglas Show. This broadcast included Simmons's first televised interview, a conversation with Douglas in which Simmons declared himself "evil incarnate," eliciting titters from an uncomfortable and largely confused studio audience. Fellow guest Totie Fields, remarked that it would be humorous if, beneath all the make-up, Simmons was "just a nice Jewish boy." Simmons deftly parried this remark with neither a confirmation nor denial, by saying simply, "You should only know." To which she responded, "I do. You can't hide the hook," a sly reference to Simmons's nose, On June 15, 1974 Kiss sing in Toronto, Canada, The Cannadian Concert is filmed for first time. Despite the publicity and constant touring, Kiss initially sold just 75,000 copies. Meanwhile, the group and Casablanca Records were losing money quickly. The band flew to Los Angeles in August 1974 to begin recording their second album, Hotter Than Hell, which was released in on October 22, 1974. The only single, "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll," failed to chart and the album stalled at #100.Gill, Focus, pp. 140-141. With Hotter Than Hell quickly dropping off the charts, Kiss was pulled from their tour to quickly record a new album. Casablanca head Neil Bogart stepped in to produce the next album, trading in the murky, distorted sound of Hotter Than Hell for a cleaner and slightly poppier sound. Dressed To Kill, released on March 19, 1975, fared slightly better commercially than Hotter Than Hell. It also contained what would later become the band's trademark song, "Rock and Roll All Nite" ( ). On April 1, 1975 - KISS appears live on NBC-TV's Midnight Special, as the band's over-the-top live performances begin to solidify their reputation as the Hottest Band in the Land. Although Kiss albums had not proved to be big sellers, the band was quickly gaining a reputation as a top-flight live act. Kiss concerts featured things such as Simmons spitting "blood" (primarily yogurt and food coloring) or "breathing fire" (spitting flammable liquid at a torch); Frehley soloing as his guitar burst into flames (light and smoke bombs placed inside the guitar); Criss's elevating drum riser that emitted sparks; Stanley's Townshend-style guitar smashing; and pyrotechnics throughout the show.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 62–64. By late 1975, Casablanca was nearly bankrupt and Kiss was in danger of losing their record contract. Both parties desperately needed a commercial breakthrough if they were to survive. That breakthrough came in an unlikely form - a double live album. Kiss wanted to express the excitement felt at their concerts (which their studio albums had so far failed to do), with their first live album. Released on September 10, 1975, Alive! Recorded in Detroit,Mi Cobo Hall On May 16, achieved Gold status, and spawned Kiss's first top 40 single, a live version of "Rock And Roll All Nite." It was the first version of "Rock and Roll All Nite" with a guitar solo, and this recording has come to represent the definitive version of the song; supplanting the studio original. In recent years the band admitted that additional audience noise had been added to the album, not to deceive fans, but to add more "excitement and realism" to the show.Gill, Focus, pp. 169-172.. '' October 9, 1975 - KISS celebrate KISS Day in Cadillac, MI after the Cadillac High football team wins the state championship after listening to KISS music before every game. On January 25/26/27,1976 Kiss Back in Detroit,Mi Cobo Hall.17 On May ,1976 Kiss Goin to Europe for first time, Realised Concerts in London, Sweden, Paris, Holland, Denmark and Germany. The Success of KISS (1976-1978) The success of ''Alive! not only brought Kiss the breakthrough they had been seeking, but arguably saved Casablanca, which was close to bankruptcy. Following this success, Kiss partnered with producer Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked with Alice Cooper. The result was Destroyer (released March 15, 1976), Kiss's most musically ambitious studio album to date. Destroyer, with its rather intricate production (utilizing an orchestra, choir, and numerous tape effects), was a departure from the raw sound of the first three studio albums. While the album sold well initially and became the group's second gold album, it quickly dropped down the charts. Only when the ballad "Beth" ( ) was released as a single did the album's sales rebound. "Beth" was a #7 hit for the band, and its success revived both the album (which achieved platinum status by the end of 1976) and ticket sales for Kiss. On August 20, 1976 Kiss Sing Live in Anaheim,California Anaheim,Stadium In October 29,1976, Kiss appeared on the The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, lip-synching "Detroit Rock City," "Beth," and "King of the Night Time World". For many teenagers, this was their first exposure to Kiss's dramatic appearance. The show was co-produced by Bill Aucoin. In addition to the three performances, Kiss was the subject of a brief comedic "interview" conducted by Paul Lynde himself. This included Lynde noting, when hearing the member's first names, "Oh, I love a good religious group." Two more highly successful studio albums were released in less than a year—''Rock and Roll Over'' (November 11, 1976). On April 2,1977 Kiss Recorded Tokyo,Japan Budokan Hall. Breaking Previus The Beatles. On May 28,1977 Kiss Appeared in Rock Kirsherr, lip-synching "I Want You","Hard Luck Woman", and "Love Em Leave Em". Realised Love Gun (June 30, 1977). A second live album was released on October 14, 1977 Alive II ''Recorded in Los Angeles,CA August 26-28 Duting The Love Gun tour All three albums were certified platinum upon or soon after their release. Between 1976 and 1978, Kiss earned $17.7 million from record royalties and music publishing.Lendt, ''Kiss and Sell, pp. 65–66. A 1977 Gallup poll named Kiss the most popular band in America. The first of what is now many Kiss greatest hits albums, Double Platinum, was issued on April 2, 1978. This double album included many remixed versions of their hits, as well as "Strutter '78," a re-recorded version of one of the group's signature songs. At Neil Bogart's request, the song was played in a style similar to the then-popular disco music.Gill, Focus, pp. 272-273. During this period, Kiss merchandise became a substantial source of income for the group. Some of the products released included a pair of comic books issued by Marvel (the first one of which contained ink mixed with actual blood donated by the group), a pinball machine, Kiss dolls, "Kiss Your Face Makeup" kits, Halloween masks, Pez dispensers, board games, and many other pieces of memorabilia. Membership in the Kiss Army, the band's fan club, was in the six figures. Between 1977 and 1979, worldwide merchandise sales (in-store and on tour) reached an estimated $100 million.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 162. Kiss Back in Tokyo, Japan On March-April, 1978, Kiss were at their commercial peak by 1978—''Alive II'' was the band's fourth platinum album in just under two years, and the ensuing tour had the highest average attendance (13,550) in the group's history. In addition, Kiss's gross income for 1977 was US$10.2 million. The group, along with creative manager Bill Aucoin, sought to take the band to the next level of popularity. To that end, an ambitious, two-pronged strategy was devised for 1978.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 88–89. The first part involved the simultaneous release of four solo albums from the members of Kiss. Although Kiss has claimed that the solo albums were intended to ease rising tensions within the band, their 1976 record contract did in fact call for four solo records, with each of them counting as half an album toward the group's five-record commitment.Gill, Focus, p. 271. While each album was very much a solo effort (none of the group appeared on another's album), they were all released and marketed as Kiss albums (with similar cover art and poster inserts). It was the first time that all current members of a rock band had released solo albums on the same day.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 92. For the band members, it was a chance to showcase their individual musical styles and tastes outside of Kiss, and in some cases to collaborate with contemporary artists (Simmons's album featured appearances by the likes of Aerosmith's Joe Perry, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen, disco diva Donna Summer, Bob Seger, and then-girlfriend Cher). Stanley's and Frehley's albums stuck pretty closely to the successful hard rock style that Kiss had utilized, while Criss's album featured an R&B style and was loaded with ballads. Simmons's was the most eclectic of the four—it featured hard rock, ballads, Beatles-influenced pop, and ended with a straight cover of "When You Wish upon a Star" (from the movie Pinocchio). The Kiss solo albums were released on September 18, 1978. The marketing blitz behind the albums was unprecedented—Casablanca announced it was shipping five million total copies of the albums (guaranteeing instant platinum status), and they spent US$2.5 million marketing them.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 94. Despite all four solo albums making it into the Top 50 of the Billboard album chart, the massive preorder for these albums was soon followed by an equally enormous attempt to ship them back to the record company, followed by the subsequent discounting of these albums once sales had (very quickly) peaked. The albums were also the first Kiss albums to be seen in the "bargain bins" of many record stores, and it was the first clear harbinger of Kiss's waning popularity. All four solo albums combined sold about as many copies as Love Gun alone. Of the four, Frehley's album was the most successful (although not by a huge margin) and spawned the only radio top 20 hit (Russ Ballard's composition "New York Groove", originally performed by Hello).Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 95. The second part of Kiss's and Aucoin's plan called for the band to appear in a movie that would cement their image as larger than life superheroes. Filming for the movie commenced in the spring of 1978. Although the project was proposed to the band as a cross between A Hard Day's Night and Star Wars, the final results fell far short of those expectations. The script underwent numerous rewrites, and the band (particularly Criss and Frehley) grew increasingly frustrated with the film making process. Criss refused to take part in post-production, and so his entire voice track was completely over-dubbed by another actor.Albanese, Ron. March 5, 2002. "Easy Catman, They are Serious: The Complete Guide to Kiss Meets the Phantom" RonAlbanese.com. Retrieved June 30, 2006. Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, produced by Hanna-Barbera, aired on NBC on October 28, 1978. Despite scathing reviews, it was one of the highest-rated TV movies of the year, and saw theatrical release outside the U.S. in 1979 under the title Attack of the Phantoms. While later interviews with band members would have them talk about their movie making experience with a mix of humorous embarrassment and regret as to the finished product, their unhappiness with the final product was well-known to those around them. They felt that the movie ended up portraying them more as clowns than superheroes. The artistic failure of the movie led to a rift between the band and Aucoin, on whom they laid the blame.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 91–92. End of makeup (1979-1983) The band's first album of new material in two years, Dynasty (May 22, 1979), continued their platinum streak. The album contained what would become the biggest single in the history of the band, "I Was Made For Lovin' You." The song, which combined elements of hard rock with disco, was a top ten hit throughout the world (peaking at #11 in the U.S.).Gill, Focus, p. 342. Dynasty was recorded using session drummer Anton Fig, at the request of producer Vini Poncia, who felt that Criss's drumming skills were not adequate. The only contribution made by the increasingly discontented Criss to Dynasty was "Dirty Livin'," which he co-wrote and sang.Gill, Focus, pp. 346-347. Billed as "The Return of Kiss," the Dynasty Tour was expected by Kiss and their management to build on the success of previous tours. Plans were drawn up for a Kiss-themed traveling amusement park, called Kiss World, but were abandoned due to the immense costs involved.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 102–105. Rather than being the band's biggest and most successful tour, "The Return of Kiss" saw a marked decline in attendance.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 98. One very public indication of the heightened friction within the group was an infamous October 31, 1979 interview on Tom Snyder's late-night The Tomorrow Show. During the episode, a visibly irritated Simmons and Stanley try to contain the bombastic (and inebriated) Frehley, whose non-stop laughter and joking overshadowed the content and conversation that takes place between Snyder and the rest of the band. Criss made repeated references to his large gun collection, to the chagrin of Simmons.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 170–171. By the conclusion of the Dynasty tour in December 16,1979, tensions between Criss and the rest of the band were at an all-time high. His drumming skills had noticeably eroded, and he even intentionally slowed down or stopped playing altogether during some concerts. The final show of the tour (December 16, 1979) was the last time Criss performed with the group, although he remained an official member for nearly six more months.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, pp. 97–98.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 150–151. Kiss' internal conflicts were hardly noticed by Kiss's new, young fan base. The crowds were much younger than previous audiences had been, with many pre-adolescent children in Kiss makeup with their mothers and fathers (who were sometimes wearing the makeup themselves) in tow at most concerts. Kiss themselves did little to dissuade this new fan base, donning colorful costumes that reinforced a cartoonish image for these younger fans.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, p. 100. With Criss' involvement in Kiss at an end, the group recorded the followup to Dynasty in early 1980. As with Dynasty, this album was recorded with session drummer Anton Fig, although at the time his performance was uncredited. Showcasing a slick, contemporary pop sound, Unmasked (May 20, 1980) had the dubious distinction of being the first Kiss album since Dressed to Kill to fail to achieve platinum sales. Soon after the album's release, Criss' departure was officially announced, as was the announcement that the band would be auditioning his replacement.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 109.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 101–102. Kiss's first-ever replacement member, Eric Carr (born Paul Caravello on July 12, 1950 in Brooklyn, New York City) was announced in late July 1980. He debuted with the group on July 25 at New York's now-defunct Palladium Theatre. kiss Realised The European Tour Realised Concerts in Gootenburg,Sweden , London,Engladed ,Milano,Italy , Gremany, París,France. Due to disappointing domestic sales of Unmasked, this was Kiss's only U.S. show in support of the album.On December 3,1980. The band's 1980 tour of Australia and New Zealand, on the other hand, was one of the biggest in their history, as they played to sold-out crowds and received overwhelmingly positive press coverage.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 113.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, p. 102. For their next album, the band once again approached Bob Ezrin, with whom Kiss had found success on Destroyer. Early press reports indicated that the new album would be a return to the hard rock style that had originally brought the band success. What was released instead was 1981's Music from "The Elder", a concept album featuring medieval horns, strings, harps, and synthesizers.Gill, Focus, p. 460. The album was presented as a soundtrack to a film that was never made, making it difficult (if not impossible) to follow the storyline. To make matters worse, having received negative feedback following their record company's preview of the album, Kiss altered the record's track sequence in most countries to emphasize potential singles "The Oath" and "A World Without Heroes," which all but guaranteed the inability of listeners to understand the already muddled storyline. Once released, fan reaction to The Elder was harsh; it failed to achieve gold status and peaked at #75 on the Billboard Album Chart.Gill, Focus, pp. 462-463. Kiss Go In to México for first time, Sing In The Show TV Azteca Sings Two Songs Of Dynasty, I Was Made for Lovin' You and Charisma. The commercial failure of Music from "The Elder" forced Kiss to forgo a supporting tour completely. The band made only two appearances for the album, both in January 15,1982. One was a performance on the ABC late-night variety program Fridays, while the second was a lip-synched performance that was broadcast via satellite during Italy's Sanremo Festival.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 117. Kiss also performed "I", and "A World Without Heroes" on Solid Gold. Absent from the second performance was Ace Frehley, who had become increasingly frustrated with Kiss's new musical direction. Upset with the band's decision to record a concept album (Music from "The Elder"), he did not actively participate in the album's creation, only providing lead vocals to one track, "Dark Light". He recorded his guitar parts at his home studio in Wilton, Connecticut and mailed them to Ezrin. Another source of frustration for Frehley was that with the departure of Peter Criss, and with Carr not being an equal partner in the band, he was often outvoted 2-to-1 on group decisions. In June 1982, Ace Frehley's departure from the band was negotiated, although he did not officially leave until December. In Gene Simmons autobiography Kiss and Make-Up, Simmons states that Eddie Van Halen, of the hard rock band Van Halen wanted to fill Frehley's spot after he was officially out of the band, due to rising tensions with lead singer David Lee Roth. Simmons also states that he convinced Eddie to remain with Van Halen.Gill, Focus, p. 514.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 243–244. Soon after, Kiss made major changes to their business dealings – chief among them was severing ties with their manager of nine years, Bill Aucoin, and cutting back on their unwieldy organizational tree. Although Frehley had already decided to leave the band, Simmons and Stanley needed for their record company to believe that Frehley was still in Kiss in order for the band to keep its newly renegotiated contract. So to keep up appearances, Frehley was pictured on the covers of 1982's Killers and Creatures of the Night, although he did not participate in the recording of either album.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 255–256. Creatures of the Night (October 13, 1982) was Kiss's heaviest album to date, and although it fared better than Music from "The Elder", it peaked at #45 on the charts and was not certified gold until 1994. In Frehley's absence, Kiss utilized a number of guitarists for the recording of the album, including Vinnie Vincent (born Vincent John Cusano on August 6, 1952). Vincent officially replaced Frehley as lead guitarist in December 1982, as the band embarked on its 10th Anniversary Tour.Gill, Focus, pp. 493-495.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, pp. 118–120. Vincent was brought in as an uncredited studio replacement for Ace Frehley, who later went on to form Frehley's Comet, during recording for Creatures of the Night. He contributed to a few songs on the album including, "I Love It Loud" and "I Still Love You". Vincent was subsequently chosen to replace Frehley permanently. Vincent originally wanted to use his birth name in the band but this was vetoed by Gene Simmons on the grounds that it sounded "too ethnic" being that Vinnie is Italian. Vincent then suggested the name "Mick Fury" but this was also disallowed. Simmons later suggested the name change to Vinnie Vincent. Vincent started actively pushing to join Kiss as a full member. Despite misgivings Simmons and Paul Stanley harbored about his personality, Vincent was taken into the band and Stanley designed an "Ankh Warrior" persona and make-up for Vincent. From 1982-1983, the new lineup of Kiss became Simmons (the Demon), Stanley (the Starchild), Eric Carr (the Fox), and Vincent (the Ankh Warrior). This incarnation of Kiss was to be the last incarnation of the original make-up era. At the end of the Creatures Of The Night tour, the band removed their make-up. Aside from songwriting credits under his birth name, Vincent's involvement with the recording of Creatures Of The Night was not widely-publicized for several years. Simmons and Stanley were not sure they wanted to let fans know that Ace Frehley had left the band. For this reason, Frehley still appeared on the cover of the original album artwork as well as in the music video for I Love It Loud. When the album was re-mixed and re-released in 1985 with a non-makeup cover and a slightly different song order, to reflect the band's roster change and abandonment of their make-up and costuming, Vincent was again absent from the album cover as then-current lead guitarist, Bruce Kulick, appeared there instead. The liner notes accompanying the re-mixed LP, however, have credited both Ace Frehley and Vinnie Vincent with lead guitar performances on the Creatures of the Night album. for,1983 Kiss Goin to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro And Sao Paulo Unmasked Era (1983-1995) Sensing it was time for a change, Kiss made the decision to abandon their trademark makeup and costumes. They officially appeared in public without makeup for the first time on a September 18, 1983 appearance on MTV, which coincided with the release of the band's new album, Lick It Up.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 289. The tour showing off the new album and the unmasked band members started off at Lisbon, Portugal, on the 11th of October, 1983, at Pavilhão de Cascais, their first concert ever without makeup. Lick It Up became Kiss's first gold record in three years, but the tour was even more sparsely attended than the one for Creatures of the Night. Due to quickly rising tensions between Vincent and the rest of Kiss (particularly Simmons and Stanley), Vincent was fired at the conclusion of the tour in March 1984 - he was never even made an official member of Kiss to begin with, as a contract making his employment official was never signed. His replacement was Mark St. John (born Mark Norton on February 7, 1956 in Hollywood, California), a session player and guitar tutor.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, p. 294. With St. John on board, Kiss released Animalize on September 13, 1984. Animalize followed the success of Lick It Up, and with the video for Heaven's on Fire being played often on MTV, Animalize was the band's best-selling record in America, during the decade. With the success of the album and subsequent tour, Kiss had recaptured some of their earlier glory (though not to the level of their '70s heyday). St. John, however, was soon taken ill with Reactive arthritis during tour rehearsals, and only performed at a handful of shows. He was fired from Kiss in December 1984 and replaced by Bruce Kulick (born December 12, 1953 in Brooklyn), making him Kiss's fourth lead guitarist in three years.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, pp. 139–140. One of the first concerts Bruce played was in Detroit, Michigan's Cobo Hall. It was filmed for the MTV special Animalize Live. This was later released as the band's first home video (Animalize Live: Uncensored). September 1985 Realised The Album Asylum, December ,1985-April ,1986 KKiss Relises The Live Concerts in New York,Madison Square Garden, Detroit,Michigan, Cleveland,Ohio ,Tampa,FL ,And Charlotte,North Carolina On September 18,1987 Realised Crazy Nights. ''Realised the Video Clips Of The Album "Crazy Crazy Nights", "Reason to Live" And "Turn On The Night" December 18,1987 Kiss Goin to Philadelphia,PA The Sectum.Kiss Back in The Budokan Tokyo,Japan On April 21-22,1988. On August 27,1988 KISS Goin to Monsters Of Rock '88 in Schweinfurt,Germany On 1988 greatest hits compilation ''Smashes, Thrashes & Hits. Crazy Nights, in particular, was one of Kiss's most successful albums overseas. The single "Crazy, Crazy Nights" ( ) reached #4 on the singles chart in Britain, the highest showing to date for a Kiss song."Singles Chart Action". The KISSFAQ. Retrieved July 30, 2006. On 1989 Paul Stanley Realised The Solo Toun Paul Stanley Solo Tour '89Kiss ended the '80s with the 1989 release Hot in the Shade. Although the album failed to achieve platinum status, it spawned the early 1990 hit ballad "Forever," co-written by Michael Bolton. Peaking at #8, it was the group's highest-charting single since "Beth" and was the band's second Top 10 single. During these non-makeup years, Kiss struggled with their identity and fan base. Simmons, arguably the dominating force in Kiss during the '70s, became less involved with the group in the '80s as he pursued outside interests; most notably, a film career. After the band's unmasking, he struggled with the loss of the Demon persona. During this time, Stanley became the driving force in Kiss, as well as their most prominent member.Lendt, Kiss and Sell, pp. 311–312.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, p. 360–363. The band decided to once again enlist Bob Ezrin to produce their first album of the 1990s. Before recording could begin in earnest, however, tragedy struck. In March 1991, it was discovered that Eric Carr had a tumor on his heart. It was successfully removed in an April surgery, but more tumors were soon discovered in his lungs. Carr received chemotherapy and was pronounced cancer-free in July. In September, he was hospitalized after suffering the first of two cerebral hemorrhages. He died on November 24, 1991 at the age of 41 (the same day as Freddie Mercury).Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, p. 107."Eric Carr, 41, Is Dead; Rock Band's Drummer" (November 26, 1991). The New York Times. Retrieved April 16, 2006. Though devastated, Kiss continued, bringing in former Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, Lita Ford, and Alice Cooper drummer Eric Singer (born Eric Mensinger on May 12, 1958 in Cleveland, Ohio). Singer has a connection with the group, having played in Paul Stanley's backing band during his 1989 club tour. Kiss released Revenge on May 19, 1992. It featured a leaner, harder-edged sound, as indicated by the first single, "Unholy" ( ). In a surprise move, Kiss enlisted the aid of Vinnie Vincent for songwriting duties. The album debuted in the Top 10 and went gold. Kiss embarked on a brief club tour of the U.S. in the spring of 1992, before beginning an American arena tour in September 1992. Kiss followed with the release of Alive III (May 14, 1993), which was recorded during the Revenge tour. Four days later, Kiss was inducted into the RockWalk of Fame in Hollywood.Guitar Center's Hollywood Rockwalk During this period, Kiss nostalgia started to pick up steam. June 1994 saw the release of Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved, a compilation album featuring popular artists of the era putting their own spin on Kiss songs. The result was an eclectic mix, featuring Lenny Kravitz's funky version of "Deuce" (with Stevie Wonder on harmonica), a ska punk version of "Detroit Rock City" by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Garth Brooks' straightforward take on "Hard Luck Woman," with Kiss as his backup band. In 1995, the group released Kisstory, a 440-page, nine-pound, detailed chronicle of the group's history to that point. That same year, the band embarked on a unique and well-received Worldwide Kiss Convention Tour. The conventions were all-day events, featuring displays of vintage Kiss stage outfits, instruments, and memorabilia, performances by Kiss cover bands, and dealers selling Kiss merchandise from every stage of the band's career. Kiss appeared live at the conventions, conducted question and answer sessions, signed autographs and performed a two-hour acoustic set composed mostly of spontaneous fan requests. On the first U.S. date (June 17, 1995) Peter Criss appeared onstage with Kiss to sing "Hard Luck Woman" and "Nothin' to Lose." It was the first time Criss had performed publicly with the band in nearly 16 years.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 108–110.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 217. On August 9, 1995, Kiss joined the long line of musicians to perform on MTV Unplugged. The band contacted Criss and Frehley and invited them to participate in the event. Both joined Kiss on stage for several songs at the end of the set–"Beth," "2000 Man," "Nothin' to Lose," and "Rock and Roll All Nite."Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 108–110. The Unplugged appearance set off months of speculation that a possible reunion of the original Kiss lineup was in the works. In the weeks following the Unplugged concert, however, the band (with Kulick and Singer), returned to the studio for the first time in three years to record a followup to Revenge. Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions was completed in February 1996, but its release was delayed for almost two years. Bootleg copies of the album circulated widely among fans.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, pp. 403–404. While Kiss continued to exist publicly as Simmons, Stanley, Kulick, and Singer, arrangements for a reunion of the original lineup were in the works. These efforts culminated with a public event as dramatic as any the band had staged since their 1983 unmasking on MTV. Reunion (1996-2000) 350px|thumb|2-Pac reintroduces the world to KISS at the Grammys With that statement on February 28, 1996, Tupac Shakur introduced the original Kiss lineup (in full makeup and Love Gun-era stage outfits), to a rousing ovation at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards."Grammy Flashback 1996". MTV. Retrieved July 30, 2006. On April 16, the band held a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid in New York, where they announced their plans for a full-fledged reunion tour, with the help of new manager Doc McGhee. The conference, emceed by Conan O'Brien, was simulcast to 58 countries. On April 20, nearly 40,000 tickets for the tour's first show sold out in 47 minutes.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 224. The first public concert featuring the newly reunited Kiss was an hour-long warm up show on June 15 for the annual KROQ Weenie Roast in Irvine, California, during which the band nearly ignited the stage of the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 225. On June 28, the Kiss Alive/Worldwide Tour began at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan in front of a sold-out crowd of 39,867 fans. The tour lasted for 192 shows over eleven months and earned $43.6 million, making Kiss the top-drawing concert act of 1996.Associated Press. (December 30, 1996). "Kiss is top concert draw of 1996". USA Today. Retrieved April 16, 2006. The average attendance of 13,737 is the highest in the group's history.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 224. In September 1998, the reunited group issued Psycho Circus. Despite its appearance as the first album with the original lineup since 1980's Unmasked (even though Criss didn't play on the album), the contributions of Frehley and Criss were minimal. While the images of Frehley and Criss are featured prominently on the album, most of the lead guitar work was later revealed to have been performed by future band member Tommy Thayer and former member Bruce Kulick. Most drum duties were handled by session musician Kevin Valentine. Despite the controversy, the album achieved a #3 chart debut, the highest ever position for a Kiss album. The title track received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance."41st annual Grammy nominees and winners". CNN. Retrieved July 30, 2006. The Psycho Circus Tour opened at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on Halloween night October 31, 1998, and was simulcast on FM radio across the U.S. It proved to be another success, and was historic for being the first to ever incorporate 3-D visuals into a stage show.Leaf and Sharp, Behind the Mask, p. 112, 115.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 245. On August 11, 1999, Kiss was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in the "Recording Industry" category. August 13 saw the nationwide premiere of a Kiss-themed motion picture, titled Detroit Rock City. The movie takes place in 1978, and focuses on four teenagers (featuring Edward Furlong) willing to do anything to score tickets for a sold-out Kiss show in Detroit. The next month, the group worked in collaboration with World Championship Wrestling to produce a Kiss-themed wrestler known as The Kiss Demon whose face was painted to resemble Simmons. The group performed "God of Thunder" live on WCW Monday Nitro to debut the character. The band got $500,000 for the one-night, one-song performance.Fighting Spirit Magazine - Article The character was short-lived, as all ties to Kiss were cut by WCW when its head, Eric Bischoff was relieved of his duties in September of that year. Kiss announced in early 2000 that they would be launching a U.S. Farewell Tour in the summer, which was to be the band's last; the tour kicked off on March 12, 2000.Rosen, Craig. February 14, 2000. "Kiss 'Farewell' Tour Dates Announced". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved July 30, 2006. The group quickly added dates to the tour, which ran through April 2001. 2001 also saw the release of a computer game, Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child. Post-Reunion (2001-2008) On the eve of the Japanese and Australian leg of the Farewell tour on January 31, 2001, Criss suddenly left the band once again, reportedly unhappy with his salary. Taking his place was previous Kiss drummer Eric Singer who, in a controversial move among longtime fans, assumed Criss' Cat Man persona as the Farewell Tour continued.Rosen, Craig. (January 31, 2001). "Peter Criss Leaves Kiss, Eric Singer Steps In". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved April 16, 2006. Simmons and Stanley own Criss' makeup designs (as well as Frehley's), so there was no way for Criss to prevent this. With the band scheduled to call it a day supposedly by early 2001, a career-encompassing collection entitled The Box Set (94 tracks on five CDs) was released in November of that year, while the summer saw perhaps the most outrageous item of Kiss merchandise yet – the Kiss Kasket. In introducing the Kiss Kasket, Simmons quipped, "I love livin', but this makes the alternative look pretty damn good.""Kiss Introduce Their Latest Merchandising Endeavor: The Kiss Kasket". NYRock. Retrieved July 30, 2006. On December 4, 2001, Kiss was one of the honorees at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences("The Recording Academy") Heroes Award ceremony, at the NARAS New York Chapter. NARAS has 12 chapters throughout the United States, hence 12 ceremonies throughout the year, with the honorees each being honored by the chapter closest to their residence. By receiving this honor, which NARAS has renamed the "Recording Academy Honors," Kiss effectively received NARAS' second-highest career honor, right behind the Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award./http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12046338[http://www.grammy.com/Recording_Academy/Chapters/ GRAMMY.com] Kiss was relatively quiet through the rest of the year, but 2002 started with some controversy as Simmons took part in a controversial interview on National Public Radio, where he criticized NPR and berated host Terry Gross with sexual comments and condescending answers. In February 2002, Kiss (with Singer on drums and Frehley on lead guitar) performed during the Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was Frehley's last performance with Kiss to date. On March 6, 2002, Kiss performed a private concert at a resort in Trelawny, Jamaica. Frehley, who was no longer under contract, did not play with the group. He was replaced by Tommy Thayer, who donned Frehley's Spaceman makeup and costume for his first live appearance with Kiss.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 269. That month, the band (with Thayer) taped an appearance on the American sitcom That '70s Show. The episode, "That '70s Kiss Show," aired in August 2002. Thayer again performed with the group in April 2002, when Kiss performed "Detroit Rock City" (with pre-recorded music and live vocals) for an appearance on Dick Clark's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary show, which aired on May 3.Gooch and Suhs, Kiss Alive Forever, p. 270. In February 2003, Kiss traveled to Australia and recorded Kiss Symphony: Alive IV with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at Etihad Stadium (formerly known as Telstra Dome) in Melbourne. Thayer once again replaced Frehley, while Peter Criss returned to the group. This album was the first released on Sanctuary Records, which has since been sold to Universal Music Group - owners of the rest of Kiss's catalog. Despite claims made prior to the Farewell Tour that it would be the group's last, Kiss announced a co-headlining tour with Aerosmith in 2003. Frehley announced that his departure from the band was permanent, stating that he believed the Farewell Tour would be Kiss's last,"Frehley Freestyle". (July 25, 2003). Infoplease. Retrieved April 17, 2006. and that he did not want to open for Aerosmith, a band who in the past had opened for Kiss.YouTube - Broadcast Yourself He was permanently replaced by Thayer, as Kiss moved into a post-reunion phase that saw the band easing into a new line-up, permanently featuring Thayer as "Space Ace" and Singer as "the Catman". On this tour, still featuring Peter Criss, the group introduced the "Platinum" tickets package, with the most expensive packages costing USD $1,000. This package included a seat in the first five rows, a meet-and-greet with Kiss after their performance, and a photograph with the band. The tour earned more than US$64 million in 2003, which ranked #7 for the year."2003 Top 20 Concert Tours". Infoplease. Retrieved April 17, 2006. Simmons and Stanley did not renew Criss's contract when it expired in March 2004. Criss, on his website, stated that "No one, again no one has called me, or my attorney about an extension for future touring. As a founding member I find this to be disrespectful to me, and to the fans that have made us one of the biggest bands in the world."Peter Criss statement on his expired contract. (March 2, 2004). Petercriss.net. Retrieved April 17, 2006 from the Internet Archive. Criss stated in a radio interview in 2004 with Eddie Trunk that Simmons and Stanley were going to start a new Kiss, and thought he was getting too old to play for two hours (even though Criss is only 4 years older than Simmons). Criss was permanently replaced by Singer at this point. Exactly why Simmons and Stanley kept Criss in the band this long is somewhat mysterious in light of their comments on the DVD set Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000, where they claim that they didn't want to stop playing as Kiss but wanted to stop playing with the people that made it difficult to be Kiss, ie Frehley and Criss. Taking Criss back into the fold after the Farewell Tour could be seen as a sign that promoters did not want to hire a version of Kiss that did not feature at least 3 of the 4 original members, something that Stanley and Simmons would certainly never admit if true. During the summer of 2004, Kiss headlined the Rock the Nation 2004 World Tour, with Poison as the opening act. The tour ended in August with a sold-out show in Mexico City. Selected dates on the tour were filmed for the Rock the Nation Live! concert DVD, released on December 13, 2005.Prato, Greg. (November 8, 2005). "Kiss Keeps Rocking With Live DVD". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2006. Stanley, who had been experiencing increasing difficulty with his hip, had his mobility limited during the tour. He has already had two hip surgeries performed, with more likely in the future."Kiss frontman needs more hip surgery". (December 14, 2005) The Rock Radio. Retrieved April 16, 2006. After the conclusion of the Rock the Nation Tour, Kiss performed only sporadically for a number of years. The group played two shows in 2005, and another six in 2006. Four of the 2006 shows were July concerts in Japan, including two dates (July 22 and 23) as a headlining act at the 2006 Udo Music Festival. Kiss performed four July 2007 concerts, three of which were dubbed the Hit 'N Run Tour. Prior to the final show on July 27, Stanley was hospitalized with an extremely rapid heartbeat. In his absence, Kiss performed in concert as a trio for the first time ever. This was the first Kiss concert Stanley had missed during his then 34-year tenure with the group. Kiss (along with Queen, Def Leppard, and Judas Priest) were honored at the first annual "VH1 Rock Honors" event, held May 25, 2006 in Las Vegas. On April 9, 2006, the Associated Press announced the event by saying "the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame looks to be getting some competition."Cohen, Jonathan. (April 6, 2006). "VH1 Rock Honors To Salute Kiss, Queen". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2006. A tribute band, consisting of Rob Zombie (vocals), Slash (guitar), Scott Ian (bass), and Supernova bandmates Tommy Lee (drums) and Gilby Clarke (guitar), performed "God of Thunder" with Ace Frehley. In June 2006, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley attended the opening of the Kiss Coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. On October 15, 2006, Simmons, Stanley, and Criss were inaugural inductees into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, along with performers such as Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Louis Armstrong, The Ramones and Tony Bennett.(April 22, 2006). "Kiss Members To Be Inducted Into LONG ISLAND MUSIC HALL OF FAME". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved April 23, 2006. Stanley released his second solo album, Live to Win, on October 24 2006, and undertook a brief solo tour in support. On October 31 the same year, the group released Kissology The Ultimate Collection Volume 1 1974–1977, the first of ten possible DVD sets featuring complete concert footage, interviews, and never-before-seen clips.Kiss To Continue Raiding Vaults For DVD Series. (November 16, 2006). Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2006. As of January 2007, the set is certified quintuple platinum in the United States. A second volume was released on August 14, 2007. It was certified 6X Platinum by the R.I.A.A. on October 24. What seemed to be the final entry, Kissology The Ultimate Volume 1992–2000, was released on December 18, 2007. Stanley insisted that there are more volumes forthcoming in an interview with Norwegian broadcasting in the summer of 2008, but no details have been given. In April 2007, tragedy struck Kiss again. Their former guitarist, Mark St. John, died from an apparent cerebral hemorrhage at age 51. After being fired from Kiss in 1984, St. John formed the short-lived glam metal group White Tiger. In 1990 he briefly collaborated with Peter Criss in a band called The Keep, which only performed once and released no recordings. St. John largely dropped out of public view in later years, but did make occasional appearances at Kiss fan conventions. Though Kiss has been eligible for enshrinement in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (whose rules state that an act is eligible 25 years after its first release) since 1999/2000, they have not been nominated. While this snub displeases some fans, Stanley and Simmons maintain that it is meaningless to them. Nevertheless, a group of about 200 Kiss fans held a protest rally in front of the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio on August 5, 2006. It was the first known organized demonstration seeking the induction of a band into the Hall. "Kiss fans protest Rock Hall of Fame snub". (August 6, 2006). Associated Press. Retrieved August 6, 2006. In 2007, a new comic book series featuring the band was released by the Kiss Comics Group in association with Platinum Studios. Entitled "Kiss 4K: Legends Never Die," the first issue came out in a regular size and a giant 1.5' x 2.5' size, dubbed the Destroyer edition. The third installment of the series is due to come out the first week of August. Also, Kiss was scheduled to play in Whistler in mid September. The concert plans were cancelled late August due to a passport problem. Kiss have been confirmed to headline the opening night of 2008's Download Festival at Donington, England. 2008 saw the band picking up the pace, doing their first proper tour of Europe for nearly a decade. On January 30, 2008, guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley confirmed that Kiss would launch the Kiss Alive/35 World Tour, playing arena and stadium shows in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. On March 16, 2008, Kiss closed the Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit - Melbourne, Australia as well as performing in Brisbane and Sydney as part of this tour. Kiss played at the Rock2Wgtn two-day festival held in Wellington, New Zealand on March 22 and 23rd 2008; a festival which also featured Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Poison, Alice Cooper, Lordi, Sonic Altar and Symphony of Screams with special effects provided by WETA Workshop of Lord of the Rings and King Kong fame. Throughout the summer of 2008, Kiss headlined festivals as well as their own shows and played to a record audience of about 400 000 people. http://kissonline.com/news/index.php?mode=fullstory&id=5436 As part of this tour Kiss headlined the Download Festival in Donington, England, on June 13. Three days later they headlined the Arrow Rock Festival in Nijmegen, Netherlands. On June 28, Kiss headlined the Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium. It was the last show in the European leg of the 'Alive 35' tour. Monday, Aug. 4th, Kiss played at Rockin' The Rally at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as part of the tour. South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds proclaimed August 4, 2008, to be "Kiss Rock and Roll Day" in South Dakota. In September 2008, both Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley confirmed rumours that the Kiss Alive/35 Tour would continue with a big tour of North America in 2009. Sonic Boom And Monster (2009-2013) Late 2008 saw the band take another unexpected turn. Over ten years after their last studio album, and following years of denials about ever wanting to do a new album, Stanley and Simmons seemed to have changed their minds. In November 2008, Paul Stanley stated to rock photographer Ross Halfin that a new Kiss album is in the works, which Stanley would produce. Stanley also stated that the album would have a "real 70's Kiss sound" to it. On November 26 2008, Gene Simmons confirmed the information about a new Kiss album and said he expected it to be released in Summer 2009. http://www.winnipegsun.com/Entertainment/Music/2008/11/26/7544541.html On November 29, Paul Stanley confirmed to the official Kiss website that the band will be entering the studio soon,Cohen, Jonathan. "Kiss Making First Album Since 1998". billboard.com. December, 10 2008. repeating the assertion that the new record will be modelled on the band's classic 1970s sound. On October 2009 Realised Sonic Boom The Next Album Studio, Gene Simmons stated on the Kiss official website: . KISS has now announced that Sonic Boom will be released on october 6, 2009 at Wal-mart exclusively. Kiss started the European leg of the Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour in May 2010. Tragedy struck Kiss for a third time, when their former manager Bill Aucoin died of cancer on June 28, 2010 at the age of 66. Stanley and Simmons said he was like the fifth member of Kiss. The tour included their first UK arena shows in 11 years and their first visit to Slovakia. Kiss later played at two dates in US cities Cheyenne, Wyoming and The North Dakota State Fair in Minot, North Dakota in July 2010. They also played at the Indiana state fair in August and the Minnesota State Fair in September. They also made a brief appearance at S.P.A.C. (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga, New York on August 17, 2010. On July 23, Kiss started The Hottest Show on Earth Tour in the United States. The tour saw the band play numerous shows throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. On April 13, 2011, Kiss began recording a new album due for release later in the year. Gene Simmons stated, the album "is gonna be the next step to Sonic Boom. Very similar – straight rock songs, no ballads, no keyboards, no nothing, just rock." The band also went to use old analog equipment instead of a more popular digital recording gear. Gene Simmons said about it: "Technology is a seductive bitch, she will seduce you. You press this button, you don't have to do anything. But analog is the love of your life. You can push real hard and it always gives back. For the new album, the actual recording process was 24-track tape and an old Trident board. And as many tubes as possible. You need tubes, electricity and thick wood to make that thick sound." In March 2011, while visiting Israel, Simmons announced that he had plans to bring Kiss to Israel. Kiss spent the summer of 2011 playing venues in the US and Canada, visiting cities to which they have not been in a while. They have dubbed this the "Lost Cities Tour". On August 21, 2011, it was announced on the band's website that the next album would be called Monster. Monster was originally slated for release in fall 2011, but was then delayed until January 2012, and again until June–July 2012, with an official release for October 2012. KISS by Monster Mini Golf was opened in March in 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The facility is an 18-hole indoor miniature golf course, featuring arcade games, gift shop, and numerous pieces of band memorabilia on display. The complete current version of the band attended the grand opening. Kiss appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 20, 2012. A press conference was held on the same day to announce the summer North American tour called The Tour, co-headlined with Mötley Crüe. The Tour started on July 20 and ended on October 1. The new single, "Hell or Hallelujah", was released on July 2, 2012 internationally and on July 3 in North America along with the Monster Book. Monster was released on October 9, 2012 in North America to much critical and fan acclaim, debuting in the Top 3 in the US and Top 10 in many countries. Kiss kicked off the Monster World Tour on November 7, 2012 in Buenos Aires, Argentina at the River Plate Stadium and continued the six-date South American leg with dates in Santiago, Asunción, Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro until November 18, 2012. The Australian leg began on February 28, 2013 in Perth at the Perth Arena and ran through until March 16, 2013 in Mackay at the Virgin Australian Stadium. They were joined by Mötley Crüe, Thin Lizzy and Diva Demolition. The band extensively toured Europe and Canada with a few US dates in June through August, and then Japan in October. 40th anniversary And Kiss in Hall of Fame (2014-2016) On October 16, 2013, Kiss was again announced as a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was subsequently announced as an inductee on December 17, 2013. On August 15, 2013, it was announced that Kiss (who performed the night before of ArenaBowl XXVI) had purchased a share of an Arena Football League expansion franchise set to begin play at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California in 2014. The band (in specific, their two lead members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley), their manager Doc McGhee, and league veteran Brett Bouchy jointly own the team, to be called the Los Angeles Kiss. Both Simmons and Stanley are known fans of the AFL. The LA Kiss offered National Football League free agent quarterback Tim Tebow a contract to join their team and play in the AFL: "Acquiring Tebow would not only be a great investment for the team, but his exciting style of play would definitely send shockwaves through the league," Simmons said in a statement. "We're excited for the opportunity to see him with an LA KISS uniform on, and for the LA KISS fans to be rockin' their Tebow shirts and jerseys." On March 17, 2014 Kiss announced a co-headlining tour with Def Leppard. After Simmons toured with Joe Elliott in South America, the two talked about their bands working together. From June 23, 2014 to August 31, 2014, the bands are scheduled to tour 42 cities, with a dollar per ticket donated to such military charities as Wounded Warrior Project. Kiss made the cover of the April 10, 2014 (Issue 1206) Rolling Stone magazine, which is their first time being so featured in the band's 41-year history. On April 10, 2014 Kiss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Though the rockers did not perform, the original four members, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss showed up to accept their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during the 29th annual induction ceremony in Brooklyn. On January 28, 2015, Kiss released a collaboration single with the Japanese female idol group Momoiro Clover Z, titled "Yume no Ukiyo ni Saitemina". It was the first time for Kiss to release a collaboration CD with another artist. In Japan, it was released physically in two versions: Momoiro Clover Z edition (CD+Blu-ray) and Kiss edition (CD only). An alternate mix of the single's title song was also included as an opening track on the Japanese-only SHM-CD album Best of Kiss 40, released in Japan on the same day. Before the collaboration, the members of Kiss had watched the concert videos of Momoiro Clover Z. Later, Paul Stanley gave his impressions in an interview. On September 15, 2015, the RIAA announced that the band had earned more gold records than any other American band in the association's 63-year history, with a total of 30 gold album awards (including the band's four 1978 solo albums). Cary Sherman, the RIAA CEO and chairman, commented The Last Years (2016-Present) In 2016, Kiss conducted a summer tour, titled the Freedom to Rock Tour, of less frequented cities and smaller venues. The tour ran throughout the summer, with opening acts Caleb Johnson and the Dead Daisies.147 On December 13, 2016, Kiss performed during the Season 11 finale of The Voice, accompanied by the season winner Sundance Head.[citation needed] There have been conflicting stories regarding whether Kiss will record another album. Simmons has said "yes" in interviews, saying that he has songs written and lined up for a new album. Stanley and Thayer dispute this however and say that they do not vow to make one and that the band can move forward without new music. Simmons and Stanley made cameo appearances in the 2016 movie Why Him?. On September 19, 2018, following a performance on America's Got Talent, Kiss announced that they will be ending their career with the End of the Road World Tour in 2019. The tour kicked off on January 31 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and currently features 103 additional dates that run through December 3 in Auckland, New Zealand. In February 2019, Simmons said the farewell tour would likely gross between $150 million and $200 million, “not counting ancillaries, licensing, merchandise and stuff like that.”153 In October 2018, the band reunited with Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick on the Kiss Kruise. They performed "New York Groove", "2,000 Man", "Hide Your Heart" and "Domino". This is the first time Frehley and the band have performed since 2002 for their first Kiss Farewell Tour and Kulick's first time performing with the band live since his departure in 1996. During the first leg of the End of the Road World Tour, Kiss was accused by fans of lip syncing and using backing tracks.Three years prior, Simmons had been critical of bands using backing tracks on live shows. Former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach defended Kiss, saying that the band did not lip sync at the show he attended. Stanley did not confirm nor deny that he lip syncs on stage, saying he is taking care of his voice. Band members Current members *'Paul Stanley' – rhythm guitar, lead vocals (1973–present) *'Gene Simmons' – bass guitar, lead vocals (1973–present) *'Tommy Thayer' – lead guitar, vocals (2002–present) *'Eric Singer' – drums, percussion, vocals (1992–1996, 2001–2002, 2004–present) Former members *'Ace Frehley' – lead guitar, vocals (1973-1982, 1996–2002) *'Peter Criss' – drums, percussion, vocals (1973–1980, 1996–2001, 2002–2004) *'Bruce Kulick' – lead guitar, vocals (1984–1996) *'Eric Carr' – drums, percussion, vocals (1980–1991) *'Vinnie Vincent' – lead guitar, backing vocals (1982–1984) *'Mark St. John' – lead guitar, backing vocals (1984) Makeup Image:Starchild.png|The Starchild - Paul Stanley Image:Demon.png|The Demon - Gene Simmons Image:Spaceman.png|The Celestrial - Ace Frehley and Tommy Thayer (Frehley, silver around eyes; Thayer, gray around eyes) Image:Catman.png|The Beast King - Peter Criss and Eric Singer Image:Fox.png|The Fox - Eric Carr Image:Warrior.png|The Ankh Warrior - Vinnie Vincent Discography and filmography See discography and Videography References in popular culture *In the film Role Models the main characters start a new country (where the soldiers are based on Kiss band members) in a live action role-playing game called Laire. *The television movie The Fairly OddParents: Wishology on Nickelodeon featured the Kiss band members as the protagonists in Part 1. *In the television show Family Guy, the main character, Peter Griffin shows his love for Kiss during the episodes "Road to Europe" and "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas". *In the Kappa Mikey episode "Mikey's Memoirs", Mikey is at odds with a rock band called the Rockuza, whose members wear makeup resembling Kiss. Their leader "Flash" is a parody of Gene Simmons and his "Demon" character, wagging his tongue like his real life counterpart. The other two band members resemble "Catman" and "Starchild". *In the online web-comic Erfworld, Lord Stanley the Tool dons the face-paint of Paul 'The Starchild' Stanley, and is accompanied by his 'Knights In Stanley's Service', wearing black leather armor and 'warpaint'. This is to acquire a 'dance-fight' combat bonus against Vinny Doombat and the Transylvitos, who have also assembled a 'dance-fight' bonus imitating The Jets from West Side Story. Lord Stanley opens with a battle-cry which is a direct copy of a line from the 1982 KISS song 'I Love It Loud'. However, where the lyrics read "Your life is all I need", Lord Stanley commits a common misquote: "Your lightning's all I need." Considering however that he is wielding the lightning-imbued Arkenhammer, this is likely intentional. Additional reading *Gebert, Gordon G.G. and McAdams, Bob (1997). Kiss & Tell. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-0-2. *Gebert, Gordon G.G. (1999). Kiss & Tell More!. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-1-0. *Gill, Julian (2005). The Kiss Album Focus (3rd Edition), Volume 2. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1-59926-358-0. *Gill, Julian (2005). The Kiss & Related Recordings Focus: Music! the Songs, the Demo, the Lyrics And Stories!. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 1-59926-360-2. *Gill, Julian (2006). The Kiss Album Focus (3rd Edition), Volume 3. Booksurge Publishing. ISBN 0-97222-535-8. *Lendt, C.K. (1997). Kiss and Sell: The Making of a Supergroup. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7551-6. *Sherman, Dale (1997). Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of Kiss. Collectors Guide Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-896522-35-1. *Simmons, Gene, Paul Stanley, and Waring Abbott (2002). Kiss: The Early Years. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-609-81028-6. *Tomarkin, Peggy (1980). Kiss: The Real Story, Authorized. Delacorte Press. ISBN 0-440-04834-6. *Moore, Wendy (2004). Into the Void... With Ace Frehley. Pitbull Publishing LLC. ISBN 0-9658794-4-5. Notes Kiss Online See also * Paul Stanley * Gene Simmons * Eric Singer * Tommy Thayer External links * Kiss * Paul Stanley * Gene Simmons * Ace Frehley * Tommy Thayer * Eric Singer * Eric Carr * Peter Criss * Bruce Kulick Category:Artists